Aprons & a tutorial.

I was asked to make aprons for the prize gifts at my sisters bridal shower. I knew I couldn't do anything fancy, cause fancy means $$ and I dont have a whole lot. So I decided on tea towels. I have a whole bunch in my stash from when I was making tea aprons awhile back. I have made SO many of the full tea towel aprons it's ridiculous!  But I wanted them all to be different so here is what I came up with:

And I made a Tutorial for the full one. It's a great project for beginers, and if you dont have all the supplies to make it it only costs about 5$ to buy the stuff, and takes about 15 minutes. Maybe 30, but I've made so many so it takes me about 15! And It's fun! I've made them for just about everybody I know, and even sold a few!

What you need:

1 tea towel any color

2 fat quarters in coordinating prints

3 yards of 1 inch grossgrain ribbon

Matching thread

Sewing machine

Any embelishments you might want to add

Start by folding your towel in half down the center long ways. Press.Then Open.

From the WRONG side, Take the top 2 corners and bring the points in to the center fold, being sure that your corners are the same length on both sides, you can make these longer if your taller or shorter if your short! Press.

Then open the sides back up and cut off the corners 1 1/2 inch from the pressed mark.

 Take your first piece of fabric and cut 8 inches by whatever the across length is of your towel is. You want it hang over the sides, just make sure it's longer than your towel. I didn't give exact measurements since the top can be customized to size:). Press the top and bottom seam of the fabric in 1/4 inch. Pin to the RIGHT side of the apron as shown below. Sew a staight stitch along the top and bottom.

 Turn your towel back over and cut off excess faric at the same spot you cut from the towel.

Press the outer edge of the part you just cut in 1/4 inch. Then fold where you first pressed and sew down the outside edge.This creates a cassing for your ribbon.

It should look like this:

(Sew where the pins are)

Now for your bottom pocket.

Cut a piece from your 2nd fabric measuring 8" by the width of the towel adding 1/4 inch seam allowance. Fold and press in ALL the sides.

 I added a ribbon to the top of the pocket, if you are not going to do this then just ignore it:). Sew JUST the top part of the pocket. If your adding a ribbon, just hold it under the piece so some is sticking out and sew it with your seam. Does that make sense?

Now pin your pocket on the bottom of the towel and sew around the 3 sides leaving the top open. Be sure have the top part you already sewed at the TOP!!!!  I've sewed it backwards before!!

Now mark you spot where you want to create the pockets and sew the a straight stitches down the center of the pocket. Being sure to backstitch at the top and bottom.

Then finally take your ribbon, start at the bottom of one side of the cassing go up to the top then to the other cassing and go down. You can sew these in place but I like that they can move cause some people are smaller or larger and it can be completely adjustable. Burn the edge of your ribbon so it doesn't fray.

And Your Done!!!! Now go wear your apron and bake some cupcakes!!

You can even wrap it up all cute and give as a gift!